There has been previously developed and marketed a structure for holding liquid reservoirs, such as liquor bottles or the like, in an inverted position, so that liquid flows from the bottles to a dispensing station in response to a valve being activated from a closed to an open position. The bottles are mounted in a cabinet, behind glass windows, so that a user or operator of the device can easily see what types and brands of liquor are available for dispensing. Extending through the orifice of each bottle is a stopper, through which a vent tube and a liquid dispensing tube extend. One end of the vent tube, below the orifice, communicates with the atmosphere outside of the bottle. The other end of the vent tube extends within the bottle above the liquid air interface so that atmospheric air pressure is exerted on the interface, to prevent formation of a low pressure air pocket inside of the bottle and assure dispensing of the liquid from the interior of the bottle. The dispensing tube is normally closed by an electromechanically actuated pinching mechanism, which when energized, enables liquid to flow by gravity to a glass on a rack.
The bottles are mounted in the cabinet so that the bottom of the bottle normally bears against the cabinet ceiling and the stopper bears against a horizontal holding plate that is vertically translatable relative to the cabinet ceiling. It is necessary to translate the stopper holding plate because different bottles are likely to have differing sizes. To translate the plate vertically, it is mounted on a bracket including a pair of bolt and wing nut assemblies that are vertically slidable in a pair of vertically extending slots on a sheet metal mounting on a rear wall of the cabinet. The bolts extend through apertures in the bracket so that as the brackets are raised and lowered, the plate is correspondingly varied in position.
Numerous problems have arisen in the prior art structure. Difficulties have been encountered in installing the bottles within the cabinet. Each time a bottle is to be installed, it is necessary to lower the stopper holding plate by turning the wing nuts. When a new bottle is placed in the cabinet, the wing nut position must be readjusted. If the new bottle has a different size from the bottle which was previously at the particular location in the cabinet, the correct wing nut and bolt position must be found. Holding the bottle in place, while the plate is adjusted and then adjusting the wing nut position has been found to be very difficult for one person to accomplish.
The vent tube arrangement has also caused problems when a new bottle is installed because liquid flows, i.e., fountains, from the vent tube unless it is closed. To this end, a small, removable rubber plug is inserted over the vent tube while the bottle is being inserted into the cabinet. Frequently, the bottle installer forgets to remove the plug, to prevent correct operation of the device. In addition, there is drying of liquid in the relatively small diameter dispensing tube leading from the stopper to the valve, necessitating replacement of the dispensing tube.
It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved structure for holding liquid reservoirs, particularly bottles, in an inverted position.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for enabling different sized bottles to be easily inserted in an inverted position in a cabinet from which the liquid is to be dispensed.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for enabling a supporting surface for a bottle held in an inverted position to be easily adjusted in vertical position relative to a second surface against which the bottom of the inverted bottle bears.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for holding liquid dispensing bottles in an inverted position so that liquid can be dispensed by gravity from the bottles through a valve, wherein the bottles can easily be installed into the cabinet.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved atmospheric venting structure for a gravity liquid dispenser.
A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved atmospheric venting structure for the contents of a reservoir from which liquid is dispensed by gravity, wherein the necessity to close off the venting structure during installation is obviated.